This invention generally relates to commercial fishing gear and more particularly to an automatic apparatus for receiving long line fishing gear upon its retrieval from the sea and arranging it for systematic storage and deployment.
A "long line" is the most common type of commercial fishing gear used to catch bottom feeding fish such as sole, cod and halibut. Long line gear includes a ground line which is typically a nylon rope having a length of between 2 and 2-1/2 miles and a diameter of approximately 3/8 inch. Attached to it are a large number of leaders or gangions which are spaced apart a distance of approximately 30 inches and are made of nylon monofiliment approximately 24" long and having a tensile strength somewhat less than the ground line. A single hook is attached to the outer end of each leader or gangion. The leaders may be permanently attached to the ground line or may be manually removable permitting them to be disconnected from the line as it is retrieved from the sea. These two types of gear are commonly referred to as "fixed" and "snap-on" systems, respectively. It should be understood that this invention is intended for use only with "fixed" long line gear.
Operation is begun by anchoring the distal end of the long line and marking its location with a float. The remainder of the line is paid out from the stern of the fishing vessel as it moves forward. Bait may be attached to the hooks either manually or automatically by passing the line through an automatic baiting device as it is paid out. Laying of the line is completed by anchoring the opposite end of the line and also marking it with a float. After an appropriate period of time the near end of the line is located, retrieved and connected to a primary hauler mounted amidships of the vessel. Fish are stripped from the hooks as the line is hauled on board by passing it through a stripping device.
As in any commercial fishing operation the income produced by the vessel depends upon the speed with which the fishing gear can be deployed, retrieved and ready for re-deployment. Handling of the long line together with the thousands of hooks and leaders attached to it on board the vessel can pose a sizeable problem. Traditionally, as the line is retrieved by the primary hauler the crew manually separates the hooks from the long line, arranges them sequentially on a storage rail and coils the ground line below. The process is relatively slow and poses certain risks for the handlers. To alleviate these problems numerous attempts have been made to develop devices which automatically retrieve and store the line. Unfortunately, these devices tend to be unreliable and relatively expensive. Also, some of them are restricted as to the size or configuration of hooks with which they will function, thus limiting their usefulness.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide for an automatic commercial long line fishing apparatus which will function reliably with all types of "fixed" long line fishing gear configurations.
It is a further object of this invention to provide for such an apparatus which will function reliably with all types of common commercial hook configurations.
It is a further object of this invention to provide for such an apparatus which can be manufactured and sold at a price more reasonable than other such devices currently available.